From Communism to Capitalism : A Tale of Three Cities

From Communism to Capitalism : A Tale of Three Cities
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An Enjoyable Insight into Eastern Europe.

A unique, personal, autobiographical view

From Communism to Capitalism : A Tale of Three Cities
Gordon S. Riess
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0759608490

Book Description

The author tells, in a personal, down-to-earth, and amusing fashion, of the joys and challenges involved in assisting individuals and institutions in the former Communist countries make the difficult transition from their rigid, centrally-planned systems to the highly competitive free market environment. He describes, in a pithy and insightful manner, the societies and business conditions in the Eastern European countries where he lived and worked.

The book is highly entertaining and enjoyable, as well as educational and informative. It is by no means a heavy economic or political tome. Readers will appreciate the author's unorthodox and ingenious approaches to overcoming difficulties and his vivid descriptions of coping successfully with primitive living conditions and seemingly insoluble professional obstacles. It is fascinating to learn of his imaginative and unusual solutions to apparently impossible situations.

Customer Reviews:

An Enjoyable Insight into Eastern Europe........2004-03-30

The author writes in a light, easy-to-read style about his many experiences in the newly independent countries of the former Soviet Block. He describes how he helped entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies find ways to improve their operations and increase their revenues and profits. He did so without firing any employees or having to make any significant expenditures. He also describes in fascinating manner the culture, customs, business, and social practices in the former Communist countries. I learned a great deal, but had fun reading the book. It is an adventure tale of "Marketing Without Money." It is very readable and entertaining, yet full of interesting information. Read it!

A unique, personal, autobiographical view.......2002-05-16

From Communism To Capitalism: A Tale Of Three Cities is an enjoyable memoir that collects the life experiences of Gordon S. Reiss in his efforts at helping the people of the former Communist countries make the difficult transition to a free-market economy. From the Republic of Georgia to the Czech Republic and the nation of Russia, From Communism To Capitalism presents a unique, personal, autobiographical view of the dynamic challenges the people in each of these three nations have to face. From Communism To Capitalism is highly recommended reading for students of International Studies and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the transition of Eastern Europe from communist ideology driven economics to a contemporary world of free markets and entrepreneurial capitalism.

War on the Floor: An Average Guy Plays in the Arena Football League, and Lives to Write About It
Average customer rating:

A vulgar attempt to glorify the Ar.FL, which I have loved and reported on since 1987...

I was there.

A new perspective

Living every football fan's dream

Behind the scenes on the playing field in arena football

War on the Floor: An Average Guy Plays in the Arena Football League, and Lives to Write About It
Jeff Foley
Manufacturer: Writers Club Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Football For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies))

ASIN: 0595179606

Book Description

He began with no athletic ability. His pass-catching skills were so bad that he was told he couldn’t catch a cold if he were butt-naked. He fell flat on his facemask during a six-minute jog. He was tormented by referees, subjected to rookie initiation pranks, called Rudy by fans and intimidated by a 250-pound ex-NFL player.

Welcome to Jeff Foley’s adventure in the Arena Football League. A five-foot-six, 180-pound writer, Foley is every bit the average individual. But the AFL’s Albany Firebirds agreed to let him join their squad as an offensive specialist/writer in 1999 and 2000. So, despite never having played a down of organized football – no Pop Warner, high school or college gridiron experience – Foley played in three professional contests, running pass patterns against seasoned athletes, competing in front of more than 10,000 people. He lived every fan’s dream. Or nightmare?

He endured grueling practice sessions, hits, injuries and road trips, and attended team meetings and meals. He was a part of locker room conversations. He was overjoyed by the thrill of success, and dealt with the disappointment that accompanies failure. Foley experienced all life in the AFL has to offer. And lived to write about it.

Customer Reviews:

A vulgar attempt to glorify the Ar.FL, which I have loved and reported on since 1987..........2006-05-11

Jeff Foley talked a good bit and
I remember him introing the book
on the Ar.FL halftime of a TNN
game (talking to the alltime
hottest Football woman, Jill
Arrington, son of ex-Phlliy back-
up QB, Rick. Bring back Jill!).
I was shocked at the vulgar language
in Foley's book! This is not suitable
for kids to read, in my opinion. It's
good to see a book out there on the
greatest sports ever invented in the
history of the universe (Thank you
Jim Foster, Ray Jauch, Mouse Davis!),
but he could have cleaned it up! And
that team is no longer around! Could
have been a contender!

I was there........2006-03-22

Totally amazing book. My Wife & I were season ticket holders from day one of the Milwaukee Mustangs (3rd row at the 5 yard line) and we were in attendance at both games.

Very entertaining book from beginning to end. Must read for any Arena Football fan.

The Day I bought the book I was telling my wife about George Plimton. Open the book and chapter one is titled "Plimpton would be proud".

Jeff and I are the exact same size 5'6" - 180 and there is no way I would have put myself in his shoes.

Thanks for the memories, and great job.

Jacques from Kenosha

A new perspective.......2003-01-06

People often wonder what it would be like to live life over again - what they might change if they knew what they know now. I used to think that maybe I could have been more of an athlete and maybe a football player...but this book made me happy to be where I am, which is in the stands, where I belong. This book provides you a fabulous firsthand look at the life of a football player from inside the locker room and on the field. It's sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, but very entertaining the whole way through.

Even though it's the Arena League and not the NFL, it's no less of an accomplishment to make it to this level of competition. This really hits home when Jeff describes one player who quit the Firebirds training camp saying that he had no idea that guys in this league were as good as they were.

The opportunity for a writer to join a team in this manner to get this perspective and this story may never happen again, so if you ever thought you'd like another shot at life to become one of those guys you see on television, read this book...then join me in the stands.

Living every football fan's dream.......2003-01-01

A book every true football fan should read. Author Jeff Foley is allowed to spend the preseason as a member of the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League, not as a reporter hiding in the shadows but as a true professional football player. That's the rule, he is to be treated just as any other player on the team. As a rookie he receives his share of hazing but also earns the respect and support of his team mates because Jeff proves his courage, heart and his unwillingness to quit. From pregame preparation talks to post game meetings, Jeff Foley shows that there really is a special man behind each and every face mask. The reader learns that even though the players come from different backgrounds and may even be compeating for the same roster spot, a team is a unique type of family. Locker room antics, childhood memories, daily practice sessions and the games are interlaced into a "can't put it down" story.

Behind the scenes on the playing field in arena football.......2002-10-16

I was very excited to read "War on the Floor" when I heard about it. I am a big Firebird's fan, and even though I didn't know about the team when they were in Albany, there are still some players that are on the Indiana team, and they by far are the best group of guys you'll ever meet!
Jeff tells about what it was like in the everyday routine of getting up early and having to be on a cold, rainy field to practice for the team. When he first arrived at training camp, the guys weren't sure if he was for real about playing and writing about the team. As days went by, Jeff became one of the guys, and he was determined to stick with the practices and "gassers", (and you'll just have to find out what I mean by this by reading the book)! Jeff endured the pain and the joy of being on an arena football team and tells what it is like and the determination to not quit when you start something! It talks about how the team members encouraged Jeff to not quit and to keep on!
Even if you are not a Firebirds fan, I think you will enjoy the book for its sincerity, laughs and plain downright competition.
As you will see, once a Firebird, always a Firebird!! I am waiting for the 2nd Edition of the "Tales of Achmel"! Happy reading!

The Great Movie Musical Trivia Book
Average customer rating:

TOO SPECIFIC!

Review from 4 Front Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 19 May 1996

Review from Show Music Magazine, Summer 1996

The Great Movie Musical Trivia Book

Manufacturer: Applause Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Rock Lyrics: 50'S, 60'S, 70's Trivia Quiz Book (Rock Lyrics Trivia Quizbooks)

Thoroughly Modern Millie

ASIN: 1557832226

Book Description

"If you're a fan of the celluloid musical, get ready - you are about to have one terrific time." -Shirley Jones "It's here. The perfect gift for anyone who likes a good movie musical ... This is complete coverage: from stats through awards, to fun dirt on ten of everyone's favorite movies. It grabs you and you can't quit nibbling." -4-Front "Kurtti challenges even the most astute music fan." -Edge. Includes more than 100 photos!

Customer Reviews:

TOO SPECIFIC!.......2005-04-28

I bought this book thinking it would be a great coffee-table book for my theatrical home. I even thought I could use it for trivia games with my theatre students. But it only focuses on 10 movies - one for each chapter. And the trivia questions are for people who are obsessed with that particular film. I was hoping for a book full of fun, random questions about a wide array of movie musicals, but this book is not that. However, if you've watched Wizard of Oz 50 times, this would be the perfect book for you!

Review from 4 Front Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 19 May 1996.......1998-05-10

It's here. The perfect gift book for anyone who likes a good movie musical. This isn't the weird, obscure, only-a-show-queen-would-know stage musical or the fluff "name the year of blah blah blah" trivia. This is complete coverage; from stats through awards, to fun dirt on ten of everyone's favorite movies. Kurtti just picked his personal favorites to delve into, but who doesn't love "Mary Poppins" and want to know more?

The trivia begins with the MGM Musicals of "The Wizard of Oz" and "Singin' in the Rain" and covers the spectrum from "My Fair Lady" to "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," to "Hello, Dolly!" and even to the animated "Beauty and the Beast." Each of the ten musicals has questions divided into three categories. The easiest questions are about the story and the characters, followed by the medium, not so easy questions, concerning actors, artists, and others. Finally, the hard category, with no easy stuff, Kurtti appropriately labels the minutia and obscuria. While the book is set up to be read as simple Q and A, the fun comes with Jeff's researched follow-up stories after the answer. The questions are used as springboards to delicious little secrets about stars, sets, Munchkins, and mistakes. An example of a brief but interesting medium rated question and answer for "The Wizard of Oz," reads as follows:

Q: Who was originally cast as the Wicked Witch? A: An early casting memo shows both Edna Mae Oliver and Fanny Brice as potential "witches" (their ethical orientation is not discussed, wicked or otherwise, but it's not hard to guess the casting). Finally, on August 20, 1938, Gale Sondergaard was announced for the role-a beautiful villain in the style of the evil queen in Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (q.v.) She did tests for the picture during the last weeks of September 1938, but left by mutual agreement with the producers in early October,! when it was decided that the beautiful witch was not acceptable and attempts to hide Sondergaard's beauty in "ugly" make-up seemed ridiculous. The next year she would have the part of Tylette the Cat in "The Blue Bird."

The stories range from brief paragraphs to full pages of bizarre information that Kurtti has uncovered through years of curious collecting and inside information at major studios. The book ignores all the obvious and targets the truly tasty fresh facts one can't resist. Juice combined with Jeff's witty personal commentary, make the book a great summer dessert sprinkled with photographs. This becomes the only drawback of the book, beginning with the colorful candy cover, it grabs you and you can't quit nibbling.

This movie musical trivia book has a delightful introduction by Shirley Jones, who sums up the book nicely: "If you're a fan of the celluloid musical, got ready you are about to have one terrific time.' -- William Christopher

Review from Show Music Magazine, Summer 1996.......1998-05-10

Jeff Kurtti's "The Great Movie Musical Trivia Book" perhaps surprisingly doesn't include "The Sound of Music," but does feature chapters about "The Wizard of Oz," "Singin' in the Rain," "Guys and Dolls," "My Fair Lady," "Mary Poppins," "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," "The Music Man," "Hello, Dolly!," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," and "Beauty and the Beast," each a classic in its own right.

Each chapter opens with brief paragraphs about the featured film, followed by three difficulty levels of questions and answers. Kurtti deserves credit for not making the first level, "The Easy Stuff," either condescending or too easy, such as the "Mary Poppins" question, "Who 'gets stuck with the children with no nanny in the 'ouse!'," The answer (no, I'm not going to tell) includes a career rundown of the performer who played the character that made the statement in the film, imparting information beyond just answering the question. "Not So Easy" and "No Easy Stuff" questions test the reader's knowledge, such as who was the associate producer of "Hello, Dolly!" and who is the famous father of the animator of The Beast. These too lead into mini-essays, providing interesting facts with which trivia buffs will be able to astound their friends. Each chapter includes an assortment of photos related to the film covered, and concludes with its screen credits. Highly entertaining, the book may well provide new information even for those who think they already know all the answers.

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece.......2005-10-25

All due respect to the other reviewer, Rocherberg shows poise and illuminates the many misdirections of the 20th century. Rochberg exposes the farce and folly held by those in the so-called avant-garde (of both formalist and indeterminist leanings).
This is a book for those who's music is MUSIC and for those who actually use their ears!

don't waste your time.......2003-01-11

Rochberg, having failed to distinguish himself as a composer, let alone an alternative to modernism, makes an attempt as an Adorno wannabee in this effort. The latest essay is from 1982, and they all are hopelessly dated. Roger Reynolds "Mind Models" from the 70s generates more excitement and shows more relevance to today's scene than Rochberg's stuffy, self-referential musings. This book is destined to collect dust at university libraries, only to be read by those who want to read something that confirms their views, as evidenced by William Bolcom's introduction.

If you must read, ask yourself this question: On what basis should we take Rochberg seriously? Where is an epistemology that we can trust?

Van Richten's Guide to the Lich (AD&D 2nd Ed Fantasy Roleplaying, Ravenloft Setting, #9412)
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The King of the Undead....

The best of the Van Richten Series

Very Specialized

Van Richten's Guide to the Lich (AD&D 2nd Ed Fantasy Roleplaying, Ravenloft Setting, #9412)
Erik Haddock
Manufacturer: TSR Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani (Ravenloft Official Game Accessory)

Van Richten's Guide to Fiends (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons : Ravenloft, No 9477)

ASIN: 1560765720

Customer Reviews:

The King of the Undead...........2000-05-19

This book is not merely a compendium of data re: one monster in one plane of existence. Rather, it is a starting point from which an experienced rpg'er and DM can create an amazing, vast world populated with fascinating creatures. At the heart of this world: a torn, twisted mage who will learn arcania at any cost...even if the currency is his (or her) own soul. And a lich needn't be evil...what a sordid, twisted creature is the arch lich! VRGTTL is a very helpful (nay, invaluable) resource for those of us captivated by the insatiable thirst for the forbidden.

The best of the Van Richten Series.......1999-11-08

This book isn't simply useful to someone presenting one monster in one world. If you think this is the case you are sorely miguided. The lich is the most powerful of all the undead. This book focuses not simply upon making an already powerful creature even more devastating, but giving a sense of character to an immortal spellcaster. VRGL presents a number of new ideas and twists to the lich as well as examining the psychology of one of these fell monstrosities. A lich being creatures of extraordinary intellects should be more than simply another beast to engage in hack-n-slash contests. They are powerful wizards (as well as priests and psionicists)with goals and visions just like a living being but with one difference, time means little to the immortal. This work defines the lich in a way that the Monstrous Arcana series did for the beholder and the illithid. If you are looking for an excellent source to help create a powerful long-term opponent for your PCs, look no further, for you have found it.

Very Specialized.......1999-06-25

It is all about one type of monster in one game world. If you want to know everything there is to know about lichs in Ravenloft, then you have too much time and money. If you don't want to pay however much money to know about one monster, then you've got one less useless book than I have.

Book Description

David Powers has been professionally involved with the electronic media for some 30 years, mostly in radio and television—he was BBC Tokyo correspondent in the late 1980s and early 1990s—but more recently with the Internet. He built his first site in 1995, and was instantly hooked. Eventually, the sheer tedium of updating content convinced him there must be a better way. After a brief flirtation with ASP, he experimented with PHP, and found himself hooked yet again.

A fluent Japanese speaker, Powers specializes in building Japanese-English bilingual websites, writing about Japan, and translating Japanese (he’s translated several plays). He co-authored Foundation Dreamweaver MX 2004 (1590593081) and PHP Web Development with Dreamweaver MX 2004 (1590593502). Powers also worked as technical reviewer on a number of web-related titles for Apress.

Customer Reviews:

Great Overview of PHP and MySQL, with even some gotchas for your ActionScript.......2007-05-14

I came to this book with a basic knowledge of ASP and Microsoft SQL Server. Using back end technologies with Flash is quite a change from (X)HTML, and this book really helps you get your head around the change in logic needed to effectively use Flash with a back end.

I haven't quite finished the book, but everything I've read so far has been great. Highly recommended.

Everything I was looking for.......2007-04-06

I'm a Flash developer transitioning into creating RICH applications and decided you use PHP for that technology. I wanted a book that would guide me from the ground up with integrating PHP into Flash. This book did the job!!!!

It showed me step by step how to create my own local Apache and MySQL servers with ease, and clearly explained the configuration woes a newcomer when face. Very impressive!!!

The book then guides you through several examples of using Flash and PHP together. In fact you'll end up with a pretty cool game on HangMan once you're done.

What a great book!.......2006-09-22

"Foundation PHP 5 for Flash" by David Powers is a great book, as I've come to expect from both David Powers and his publisher, Friends of ED.

The word "Foundation" in the title may lead you to think this is a beginner's book; it decidedly is not. As stated on the back cover, the book is aimed at the "reasonably experienced Flash user who has mastered the basics." I'd even say that it takes a mastery of more than just the basics to get the most out of this book. Without a very good knowledge of ActionScript, much of the material would be difficult to follow.

That being said, this book is not about ActionScript. It's not even really about Flash. It's a book about PHP -- and a very, very good book about PHP at that. It's also a book about MySQL. Prior to the most advanced chapters, the tie-in with Flash (and ActionScript) is said in one word: LoadVars. Once you get past that, you can pretty much forget about ActionScript for much of the book and focus on learning PHP and MySQL. Although the book does show by example how to get variables between your Flash user and LoadVars in ActionScript, you really do need to be comfortable with the ins and outs of Flash in general and ActionScript in particular in order to make full use of those examples, and this is not the book for learning that part of it. In the more advanced chapters, more ActionScript comes into play, and it can get confusing if you're not already comfortable with it. (I'd liken diving into this book without knowing ActionScript or PHP to learning to speak Spanish and Italian at the same time: at some point, you're going to say "dónde" when you mean to say "dove.")

What this book does cover extremely well is everything that happens on the back end, outside of Flash. The chapters that introduce PHP do much more than just introduce it: they are an excellent tutorial in the language that would even be a great resource for people who just want to learn PHP without having anything to do with Flash. Concepts are explained clearly and completely, and the examples are extremely useful and illustrative. The same can be said for the MySQL chapters: You really do learn MySQL, and not just by breezing through one or two superficial examples as in most PHP books.

The nuts-and-bolts chapters are particularly brilliant. David Powers's walk-throughs on installing Apache, PHP and MySQL are legendary. You simply couldn't ask for a better guide! The appendices -- including 20 whole pages on various things that might go wrong and what to do about it -- are indispensable.

My only criticism is of the often convoluted examples. The author's style is to build up the examples iteratively, retracing and revising the code, step by step, over many pages as you learn new techniques. He will often walk you through the "obvious-but-wrong" way of doing something, then make changes little by little, introducing new concepts along the way. While this is perhaps a good way of learning, it sometimes feels like you're reaching over your head with your right hand to scratch your left ear.

As usual, the Friends of ED name on the cover means you're buying quality. Everything from the paper to the layout to the typography is top-of-the-line. While black-and-white printing usually doesn't work well for Flash books, it's perfectly fine for this book (remember, I told you that this isn't really a book about Flash). The author is very active in the Friends of ED readers' forum, so you can be certain that any questions you have about the examples (or about pretty much anything else for that matter) will be answered by the author himself in great detail if you address them on the forum.

So if you know ActionScript and want to learn how to put a database behind it, or if you're a skilled PHP programmer looking for another way to apply your knowledge, or even if you have no real interest in Flash but want to gain a deep understanding of PHP/MySQL, this is a great book for you. Be prepared to spend lots of time with it -- it's nearly 700 pages and it has zero fluff -- but it is time very well spent indeed.

OVER RATED FOR NOVICES!.......2006-09-17

On the upside, the tutorials on installation are excellent. Apache, PHP 5 installation and if you get that far, the MySQL installation are all well described and carefully written. The forum works, if you happen to be a programmer. Theres quick help for those seeking answers but not so quick if you are novice...

When you get into trouble is when you realize that version changes make understanding the complex code jargon very difficlut to understand- though coded exaples for the Flash version that I have were provided. The examples are impossibly long and complicated and when you finally sift though them Eureka, it does not work. FRUSTRATING. Though said to have working examples, I could not get the tedious long examples to work on my computer- and spent many hours re reading the entire book to find out why. I did not expect a quick and easy solution to learning but after two months, I made no progress and found my incompetnce with programming becomiing overwhelming. This book may kill your desire to learn, even if you are willing to spend the time.

This book is a time bandit. Phenomonally complicated for beginners, it's written for experienced programmers, though said to be for novices. It has been my experience to see most programmers who write books, write at a level that is not possible to understand by beginners. It's like going into a new city and asking for directions from a local resident, " it's easy to find and you can't miss it " is the norm. Powers may leave you sleeping on the street.

Very good book on integrating php and mysql with Flash.......2006-07-26

I was very pleased with the book. I like the author's style, and I especially like how the projects are more than your typical "hello world" examples. Yes, some of them do take a little time, but you can type them out or read along as you wish, and they don't take that much time. I thought the book was absolutely excellent at accomplishing what it sets out to do - show you how to integrate flash with PHP and MySQL. Very nice job.

BEFORE TILSIT. WAR AND PEACE VOL I
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BEFORE TILSIT. WAR AND PEACE VOL I
LYOF TOLSTOI
Manufacturer: VIZETELLY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SII74A

The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi -War and Peace Vol I & II (Complete)
Average customer rating:
The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi -War and Peace Vol I & II (Complete)
Leof Tolstoy
Manufacturer: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VAPZ6I

Munich in the Cobwebs of Berlin, Washington, and Moscow: Foreign Political Tendencies in Bavaria, 1917-1919 (Studies in Modern European History, Vol)
Average customer rating:

historical perspective

Munich in the Cobwebs of Berlin, Washington, and Moscow: Foreign Political Tendencies in Bavaria, 1917-1919 (Studies in Modern European History, Vol)
Siegfried H. Sutterlin
Manufacturer: Peter Lang Pub Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0820425184

Customer Reviews:

historical perspective.......2000-11-23

Dr. Sutterlin has written a truly remarkable and intriguing book. Since the fall of the Wall, it is important to understand the diplomatic intrigues involved in the Munich Revolution against the background of American Wilsonian missionism. The ironies involved in the Munich situation often parallel those of more recent history. This book is a wonderful source for all who want to know every detail of the almost hippie-like backdrop of the Munich Revolution. It is exceptionally well-researched, extremely analytical. It also is very well written and reads like a novel. I could not put it down.

Non-Violence in Peace & War / Vol.I and II

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Non-Violence in Peace & War / Vol.I and II
M.K. Gandhi
Manufacturer: Navajivan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

The Onset of World War (Studies in International Conflict, Vol I)

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The Onset of World War (Studies in International Conflict, Vol I)
Manus I. Midlarsky
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin Pty., Limited (Australia)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

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War and Peace (Vol. I & Vol. II)

Manufacturer: The Heritage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GJ04R4

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War and Peace (Vol. I & Vol. II)

Manufacturer: The Heritage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GJ5OII

Product Description

The transalation from the russian by louise & Aylmer Maude revised by mr. & mrs. with a special introduction by them; iLLustrated with reproductions of the famous neneteenth century paintings by Vassily Verestchagin, and numerous pen drawings made for this edition by Fritz Eichenberg

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WAR AND PEACE VOL. I
LEO TOLSTOY
Manufacturer: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SICTI0

War and Peace, In Three Volumes, Vol. I (The World's Classics)

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War and Peace, In Three Volumes, Vol. I (The World's Classics)
Leo Tolstoy
Manufacturer: Humphrey Milford/Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GM281G

Average customer rating:

War and Peace-Vol I
Leo, Tolstoy
Manufacturer: Pomona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pomona Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Book Description

December 26, 1862. On the day after Christmas, in Mankato, Minnesota, thirty-eight Indians were hanged on the order of President Lincoln. This event stands today as the greatest mass execution in the history of the United States. In Over The Earth I Come, Duane Schultz brilliantly retells one of America's most violent and bloody events--the Great Sioux Uprising of 1862.

Customer Reviews:

Consider the Primary Sources.......2006-08-24

Schultz's work is not among the best narratives about the U.S.-Dakota Conflict of 1862. The work is an over-dramatizated and ahistorical interpretation of the events. In particular, he draws on Harriet E. Bishop McConkey's "Dakota War Whoop" as a source. McConkey's work is often considered a fallible book among Conflict scholars. Even though Schultz's work earned the New York Times Notable Book in 1992, such an award isn't always based on historical merit. In short, consider works by Alan R. Woolworth and Gary Clayton Anderson - both historians of renown with regard to the 1862 Conflict. I propose "Through Dakota Eyes" for a multi-angled approach to the Dakota participants (including Christian, traditional and farming Dakota accounts). As for diversified military accounts, seek "Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars." Kenneth Carley's "The Dakota War of 1862: Minnesota's Other Civil War" is also a good secondary source. If you have the opportunity and interest, it is advisable to visit the sites where these events occurred. Consider a historical field trip to Fort Ridgely, Birch Coolie and/or New Ulm, Minnesota to investigate the nuances of this often oversimplified history.

Parable of The Crow.......2005-12-04

Having grown up with this book, I thought it would be timely to re-read it again after many years. When I was young, this was the book that would always be on my dad's bookshelf or sometimes, when he had fallen asleep in his EZ Chair late at night, I'd go in, take the pipe from his mouth and tamp it into a nearby ashtray, and remove this book from his lap where he lay sleeping.

We grew up thinking that the tragic events of New Ulm and the other Great Plains sites had happened, perhaps, next door to us on the North Shore of Long Island, for those were the days when large wooded areas were still undeveloped and the paths worn down by Native tribes were still in use. Children read things in funny ways and some of my father's and grandfather's tales were enough to make us think that we too shared the blood of the Dakota people. This book was originally published 13 years ago and was an instant classic. As a young man I argued with my dad about why did author Schultz insist on spilling out the gory details of the Sioux rebellion against white settlers (largely German born and in some cases, German was all they spoke)? Wasn't it designed to stir up bad feeling against the present day descendants of the tribe? If there were any left especially after the executions of so many, including the pragmatic, intuitive, and charismatic leader, Little Crow?

My father said it was like a parable and for that reason the bord "Crow," which we also had plenty of on Long Island, had been adopted as the totem of many Plains Indians, was because the crow sees further than any other bird, and that the slaughter was a by product of basically a prophetic genius (Li'l Crow) who could see into the future, not only the future of his tribe but also beyond the borders of the plains and out to the oceans on either side of the North American continent. The blood spilled by the victims of the uprising, long gone now into the earth, bubbles up again, red and warm, in Schultz's pages. It's as if he couldn't help himself (as a historian) any more than the original "egg" quarrel could have been avoided. As an example, my father also enjoyed the still-ongoing "Crow" film series especially with the late Brandon Lee, claiming that the creators of the "Crow" movies had based their plots on the 1862 events. Hmmm, who knows!

He often spoke in parables, and some of the meaning he wanted to impart to his children was lost in ambiguity. He is gone now but reading OVER THE EARTH I COME returns him to me a little.

Amazing first hand accounts.......2005-09-16

I am an avid reader of western fiction like Louis L'Amour. This book is even better, it is first-hand true accounts of the Sioux Uprising in Minnesota in 1862. I loved it because it presented both sides of the situation in graphic detail. I read it in 2 days and normally a book like this would take me a month of 10 or 15 minute sessions. I couldn't put it down and I have already loaned it to three friends who were equally impressed. Buy it, Read it!

Very Informative and Fairly Object.......2003-12-18

As a native of New Ulm, I found this book to be extremely interesting. I realized that I have been to most of these places including Lake Shetek, Fort Ridgely, and Birch Coulee where we sometimes had scout camps. It is hard to imagine some of the scenes that happened at each one of these beautiful landmarks today. Schultz does an excellent job of tying all of these places together. If you live in Minnesota, you should read this book. The narrative flows along very smoothly from one exciting tale to the next making it near impossible to put the book down.

Overall, Schultz seems pretty objective. I do not believe that there is anything in the book that Schult does not believe is factual. It is possible that the stories about the atrocoties committed may have changed some over time. It is impossible to tell exactly what is exactly true. I think that Schultz had an obligation to tell as many stories as he could find, no matter how bad it made the Sioux or Dakota look. Schultz puts a lot of effort into explaining Little Crow's side of the story. I got a new perspective about how this war started. The ending is really sad when he explains how the Indian's freedom was striped away from all of them whether they were innocent or guilty. Many were needlessly punished.

The next time that I visit the Minnesota River Valley I intend to visit some of the Memorials or Monuments. I found a good lisiting of them at http://www.rrcnet.org/~historic.

Greek Tragedy in Minnesota, circa 1862.......2002-11-13

In "Over the Earth I Come," military historian Duane Schultz writes a popular history of the infamous Dakota uprising of 1862. The title of the book comes from a Dakota chant of defiance, a fitting title for a book that describes the efforts of a people to cast off the heavy chains of hopelessness, starvation, and general depravation forged through contact with the American government and its Indian agents.

Schultz writes a gripping account of all aspects of the uprising and the aftereffects of the rebellion. The author weaves narratives of survivors with political and military events of the uprising into a seamless and compelling account of this unfortunate incident in American history. According to Schultz, some 500 to 2000 whites died in the uprising, many of them German settlers unaware of the danger they faced from the angry Dakotas. Hundreds of Dakotas died as well in the futile military campaigns launched against Fort Ridgley, New Ulm, and at the battle of Birch Coulee. The uprising was a tragedy for everyone involved, from the white women and children who died in astonishingly brutal ways, to the Indians who lost their freedom and lands as a result of the uprising, to President Abraham Lincoln who signed a death warrant for 38 Dakotas (Lincoln lessened the tragedy somewhat by commuting some 264 death sentences). Schultz conveys the tragedy with a heartfelt eloquence that brings tears to your eyes.

Early in the book, Schultz examines the causes of the uprising. Was the uprising inevitable? Schultz's answer is a resounding NO! The Dakotas rebelled against the government agents and white settlers due to starvation, a tardy annuity payment, and poor treatment by Indian agents and German settlers. Cultural factors also played a role, as the government played Indians off against each other by rewarding Indians who played by the rules (those who adopted white culture and farming methods), and withholding supplies from "blanket" Indians (those who refused to adopt an alien culture in order to preserve their ancient way of life). The Indians who refused to adopt white culture watched their converted kin collect supplies and food from government warehouses anytime they needed it, while the blanket Indians collected their food on a set schedule. The blanket Indians eventually formed a soldier's lodge and planned military action against the whites. A harmless incident over some eggs on a white farm escalated into the murder of a family of whites, and the war was on.

Schultz spends much time discussing Little Crow, the leader of the uprising. Little Crow, who initially opposed the uprising, eventually changed his mind and supported the revolt, a decision that doomed Little Crow and his people. After discussing Schultz's presentation of Little Crow with a friend, he asked if Schultz relied on the "noble savage" stereotype while discussing Little Crow. I don't think that is the case here, as Little Crow appears as a politically astute politician, saddened over the deaths of white children and white women while generally making the best of a situation rapidly spiraling beyond his control.

In a move sure to bring about howls of protest from the politically correct crowd who believe Indians can do no wrong, Schultz provides graphic details of the slaughter and torture of white settlers caught in the uprising. Through the use of narrative accounts, we see Indian braves on a murder spree of shocking proportions. Indians dashed the heads of children against trees, dropped rocks on people's heads, and tore limbs from still living children. Indians shook hands in a gesture of "friendship" with whites, and then shot them when they turned their backs. The list of atrocities goes on and on. As bad as these descriptions are, there are many worse ones found in this book. It is understandable that whites howled for blood when the uprising came to an end.

At the same time, Schultz shows us the many Indians disgusted at the behavior of their fellow Indians. Just as people sheltered Jews during World War II, some Indians risked life and limb to protect innocent whites. These Indian men and women were truly saviors to many. But in keeping with the theme of tragedy, Schultz explains how a few innocent Indians died on the gallows; one of them was Chaska, an Indian who protected Sarah Wakefield, a white woman taken captive early in the uprising. Despite Sarah's protestations (or perhaps because of them; whites were not interested in letting any Indian off the hook), Chaska ended up on the gallows.

As a popular history, "Over the Earth I Come" does have its limitations. For example, in his discussion on the causes of the uprising, Schultz completely fails to mention the Spirit Lake massacre in 1857 and the withholding of annuity funds by the government in order to force the Indians to do what the government told them to do. Both of these events contributed to the uprising, and discussing them is essential in understanding the events that followed.

"Over the Earth I Come" is an excellent, well written introduction to this troubling event in American history. The book has all the trappings of a novel: dramatic battles, perilous escapes, mind blowing ironies and "what-ifs," and touching stories of human kindness. Schultz conveys the multiple tragedies of this sad event with great sympathy and understanding.

Over The Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising Of 1862
Average customer rating:
Over The Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising Of 1862
Duane Schultz
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSZ33W

Average customer rating:
Over the Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising of 1862
Duane Schultz
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTDVOY

Book Description

This volume offers to general and specialist readers alike the fullest and most complete survey of the development of science in the eighteenth century. It is designed to be read as both a narrative and an interpretation, and also to be used as a work of reference. While prime attention is paid to Western science, space is also given to science in traditional cultures and to colonial science. The contributors, world leaders in their respective specialties, engage with current historiographical and methodological controversies and strike out positions of their own.

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This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by CBJ, L.P. on August 6, 2001. The length of the article is 626 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Old Town Contract Open to Legal Challenges.(Bazaar del Mundo)(Brief Article)
Author: Tanya Rodrigues
Publication: San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 6, 2001
Publisher: CBJ, L.P.
Volume: 22 Issue: 32 Page: 13

Article Type: Brief Article

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